| Latest Review Posted | PENTAX AF 201FG
I was able to get this for an excellent price. This is about as good a small flash as you're going to run across: weather sealed, it tilts (but does not swivel), and, best of us, has very ingenious manual functionality (more than it's given credit for).
Making a flash this compact and small does entail some tradeoffs which need to be acknowledged right from the start. Such things as the aforementioned inability for the flash head to swivel, the use of AAA batteries, the lack of advanced functionality, and (some would say) the lack of sheer flash power. I would contest, however, gripes about flash power. While AF201FG is not as powerful as the AF540FGZ, the differences aren't as great as some might think. In terms of sheer light, this flash puts out nearly as much light as the AF360FGZ; it's just that the little AF201FG is a fixed focal flash — fixed to cover 24mm (on FF), whereas those other two flashes having zooming heads that allow their output to be intensified into narrower bands of light. But at 24mm, the guide number of the AF360FGZ is 21 (as opposed to 20 for the AF201FG). At ISO 800, the guide number of this little flash is slightly higher than the AF540FGZ at its most concentrated (i.e., GN 54). So with a little flexibility with the ISO, this flash can do quite a bit, whether used as fill or bouncing. The main advantage of those larger flashes is they have advanced functionality (particularly HSS and wireless). For those who don't need that advanced functionalit... |
